Abstract:

Coronaviruses have been thrust into the spotlight by the recurring novel human coronavirus infections following
the 2003 SARS pandemic. In the years since the initial SARS outbreak, the arsenal to fight this virus family has been
significantly increased by the rapid growth of coronavirus research. Among the potential viral drug targets, coronavirus
3C like proteases (3Cl) have emerged as the most popular drug target. A number of patented inhibitors with promising
clinical potential have been developed via different methods of drug discovery, including virtual screening, natural product
isolation and structure assisted rational drug design. This review serves as a summary of the progress in both the
method of drug discovery and the related inhibitors against the coronavirus 3Cl protease.

Abstract:Coronaviruses have been thrust into the spotlight by the recurring novel human coronavirus infections following
the 2003 SARS pandemic. In the years since the initial SARS outbreak, the arsenal to fight this virus family has been
significantly increased by the rapid growth of coronavirus research. Among the potential viral drug targets, coronavirus
3C like proteases (3Cl) have emerged as the most popular drug target. A number of patented inhibitors with promising
clinical potential have been developed via different methods of drug discovery, including virtual screening, natural product
isolation and structure assisted rational drug design. This review serves as a summary of the progress in both the
method of drug discovery and the related inhibitors against the coronavirus 3Cl protease.